Army to take control as govt plans to order Royal Navy to stop Channel migrants and fly asylum seekers to Rwanda and Ghana January 17, 2022 The Prime Minister is planning to slow the flow of migrants into the UK by calling in the army and fly asylum seekers to a number of African countries, including Ghana and Rwanda, to process their applications there. According to a report in The Times this morning, Boris Johnson plans to give the Royal Navy [...]
Russian invasion of Ukraine ‘inevitable and imminent as Putin has negotiated himself into a corner’, UK Defence Committee chair warns January 17, 2022 A Russian invasion of Ukraine is “inevitable and imminent”, the UK’s Commons Defence Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood has said. The Conservative MP made the claim in the wake of a massive cyber attack on Ukraine which left much of the country without heat, light and access to money. Speaking to the Daily Mail about the [...]
UK joining CPTPP won’t hurt environment or workers’ rights, says think tank report January 17, 2022 The UK’s ascension to the 11-country Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade bloc will not lead to worse environmental standards or a diminishment of workers’ rights, according to a new think tank report. The Thatcherite Centre for Policy Studies think tank found new trade activity coming from joining the bloc would only [...]
Khan tells PM his levelling up agenda will fail without long-term TfL funding January 17, 2022 The government’s plan to “level up” economically deprived parts of the UK will fail if Transport for London (TfL) is not given a long-term funding deal, London mayor Sadiq Khan has said. Khan today warned “tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs” across the UK were being put at risk by the government’s unwillingness to provide [...]
‘A real tower of strength’: City grandee Paul Myners dies aged 73 January 16, 2022 City grandee Paul Myners, known as a steady ship in the capital’s financial affairs, has died at the age of 73. The former Labour minister was brought into Gordon Brown’s government to help tackle the financial crisis of 2008, after making a name for himself in the fund managing space. Former prime minister Brown called [...]
Covax scheme hits 1bn vaccine deliveries despite supply chain struggles January 16, 2022 The global Covax scheme, which ships Covid-19 vaccines to low-income countries, has delivered one billion jabs as of today. The UN-backed programme has been knocked by disrupted supply chains and “catastrophic outbreaks” locking up supply, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Vaccine stockpiling and “hoarding” in wealthier countries has also hindered its progress, the [...]
Nadine Dorries hints at upcoming axing of BBC licence fee as funding is frozen January 16, 2022 Culture secretary Nadine Dorries has hinted the BBC licence fee will soon be scrapped as she oversees a two-year freeze on funding for the public broadcaster. Dorries took to Twitter today to confirm a Mail on Sunday story about the BBC licence fee being frozen for two years, which will lead to an effective funding [...]
Starmer accuses No 10 of ‘industrial-scale partying’ during pandemic January 16, 2022 Labour leader Keir Starmer has accused Downing Street of “industrial-scale partying” during the pandemic, and the UK’s first lockdown. “I think he broke the law. I think he has as good as admitted he broke the law,” said Starmer, referring to Downing Street’s apology to the Queen for one party which occurred the night before [...]
Protests in London as Priti Patel’s Policing Bill heads into critical vote January 16, 2022 Protesters flocked London’s streets over the weekend to protest Priti Patel’s Policing Bill, which will be tabled for a critical vote by peers tomorrow. The Bill, if passed, will grant police new powers to clamp down on demonstrations, including extended stop and search powers and longer sentences. The so-called ‘Kill the Bill’ protests have cropped [...]
England on track to shed all Covid restrictions this month, Dowden says January 16, 2022 England is on track to shed Covid restrictions implemented last month including the country’s work from home advice, Tory party chair Oliver Dowden has said. Dowen said “it all seems to be heading in the right direction” as Omicron cases in the UK begin to sharply drop and hospitalisations plateau. Patients in intensive care have [...]